Target.



M. 1. FITZGERALD.

TARGET.

APPLICATION FILED MAY 3. I9Is.

Patented Dec. 5, 1916.

Iig/.1.

' INI/ENTOR,

M. litjyeralfh A TTORNE Y UNITED sTATEs PATENT operon.

MICHAEL J. FITZGERALD, 0F RICHMOND, CALIFORNIA.

TARGET.

To all whom t may concern:

Be it known that I, MICHAEL J. F ITZGER ALD, a citizen of the United States, residing at Richmond, in the county of Contra Costa and State of California, have invented new and useful Improvements in Targets, ofwhich the following is a specification.

The present invention relates to improvements in apparatus for indicatingV the part of the target which is struck by the shot in target shooting, the object of the invention being to provide an apparatus of this character which will avoid the loss-of life that appears'to be inevitable when the position of the shots is indicated by a marking attendant close to the target, and which shall be of extremely simple and inexpensive construction.

In the accompanying drawing, Figure 1 is a broken side elevation of my improved apparatus; Fig. 2 is a longitudinal vertical section of the target; Fig. 3 isa front view of the same; Fig. 4 is a cross section on the line 4 4 of Fig. 2; Fig. 5 is a rear view of one of the cylinders.

Referring to the drawing, l indicates the cylindrical casing of a target, in which are supported, by Webs 2, cylinders 3, one cylinder being in the center of the target and the others being arranged in concentric rings therearound. In said cylinders can reciprocate plungers 4, secured to central stems 5, the front ends of which are secured to target sections 6, the front sides of which are of such form as to fit closely against one another t0 form a complete target ring.

'The edges of the target sections taper slightly to the rear to facilitate the forward movement of each target section into its place between the adjacent sections. The rear square end of the stem passes through a square central hole in the rear end 7 of the cylinder in which end 7 is a minute air ,vent 8 and a comparatively large valve opening 9 closed by a hinged valve 11, which valve prevents the air escaping outward through saidvalve opening 9 but permits it to readily enter therethrough. The rear end of each stem abuts against the free end of an arm l2 of a bell crank lever 13 pivoted, as shown at 14, upon a bracket 16 extending forwardly from the back 17 of the casing of the target, the other arm 18 of said bell crank lever being connected at its free end to the upper end of a Wire 19, the

Specication of Letters Patent.

Application filed May 3, 1915. Serial No. 25,445.

lower end of which wire is connected to the free end of an arm 21 of a bell crank lever 22, all of said levers being on the same shaft 23, the other arm of said bell crank lever 22 being connected to one end of a wire 24 contained in a case 26. Said case 26 and wires 24 extend to a point convenient for observation by the marksman and at that point the wires pass around rollers 27 and extend upwardly and then pass around rollers 28, each wire being attached to a stem 29 slidable horizontally through a hole in the back of the casing 31 and also through a. holein a vertical plate 32 `and through a hole in a resetting plate 33 normally drawn back against the plate by coiled springs 35. Said stem 29 is secured at its front end to an indicator section 34 which sections correspond in position respectively with the sections Gof the target. A yoke 3G is secured to said resetting plate and extends through holes in the central indicator section.

The operation is as follows When a bullet or other shot strikes a section of the target, the target section 6, the stem 5 attachedthereto, and the plunger 4 are driven inward by thev force of the blow. But the inward movement of these parts is checked by the compressiony of the air in the cylinder 3 between the back of the cylinder and the plunger, the air escaping only through the air vent 8, so that no damage is done to any parts of the apparatus by the force of the blow. This rearward movement of the plunger', by means ofthe bell crank levers and wires connected thereto, draws rearwardly the corresponding indicator section 34, so that an. attendant near the marks.

dicator sections after each shot, or he can wait until a. number ofshots have been made before resetting it.

I claim 1. In combination, a target composed of sections` an indicating device arranged in front of the target and composed of similar sections, and 'wires respectively moved by the former sections when moved rearwardly and arranged to move the latter sections rearwardly.

2. yIn combination, a target composed of sections, an indicating device arranged in front ot the target and composed of similar sections, and wires respectively moved by the former sections when moved rearwardly and arranged to move the latter sections rearwardly, said wires being also arranged to move the former sections forwardly when the latter sections are moved forwardly. m

ot sections, an indicating' device arranged 1n- 3. InTniriintio/n, a target composed front of the target and composed of similar sections, wires respectively moved by the former sections when moved rearwardly and arranged to move the latter sections rearwardly` said wires being also arranged to move the former sections forwardlywhen the latter sections are moved forwardly, and means for moving forwardly all of said latter sections simultaneously.

4. ln combination, a target composed of sections, an indicating device arranged in front ot' the target and composed of similail sections, means for retarding the rearward movements of the former sections while permitting them to move quickly forward, and wires respectively moved by the former secrear end ofsaid stem abuts, a wire connected to said lever, an operative connection between said wire and the corresponding one of the latter sections, a plate for resetting all or' said latter sections, and a device ati tached to said plate and extending in front of said latter sections.

In testimony whereof l have hereunto set my hand in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

MICHAEL J. FTZGERALD.

Witnesses (if. M. BALL, D. B. RICHARDS. 

